How It All Began
by romancetea
Summary: "You and her have a special bond." "A promise, made several lifetimes ago and experiences shared between the both of you build it. But now that bond has reached it's limit." - (Tick Tock) Turn back the clock, rewind time. Let the tale begin again.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Here you go guys ! The sequel to Tick Tock. As compensation for the long wait, here are 2 chapters. Enjoy XD**

* * *

Death was a mysterious thing.

No one knows what happens when they die, human or otherwise. Despite the theories, speculations and ideas on Death, nothing was ever certain. Questions still remained unanswered: What happens to the dead? Where do they go? What is it like?

Is Death truly the end?

Only the dead know the answers.

And they will tell you that the Land of The Dead is an odd place.

That it is divided into three parts. The first two are inhabited. One by mortal spirits, who have a limit to their time as the living. Their bodies return to the earth and their memories fade. Time is their enemy. But though they are doom to passed, they are allowed to pass through the living world again and again, in another body but with no recollection of what occurred before.

The other land is for immortal spirits. Those who never age, whose bodies are not made of earth and whose memories are long and lasting. The birth of these creatures are unique and differs for each one. Because of that, they do not have a limit to their lives. Yet like all living things, they can be killed but not easily and only by special means. Once dead however, they stay dead. Rarely are these creatures permitted to reborn.

These lands are commonly known as the Human Realm and the Demon Realm.

Heaven and Hell.

The borders of each of these lands are protected from each other by a sky-reaching, impenetrable and transparent wall, known as The Barrier. A tree marks the location; a living one for the Human Realm and a withered one for the Demon Realm.

And in between these two lands lies a barren plain. This was the third land. Nothing lived there; no plants and no spirits. Yet curiously, if one were to stare hard into the fog that constantly enveloped the land, one would see a shadow of a figure. Or maybe two or three. Sometimes four. And in a blink of an eye, these figures would disappear. The land would once again appear to be empty.

Indeed, the Land of The Dead was an odd place.

And this is where the story begins.

* * *

 _Kyoto, Japan Heian Period_

Nimble hands snatched a peach from the stand, legs quickly ducking back into the shadows before the shop owner caught wind. Suppressing a grin, the peach was rubbed furiously with a rag of a shirt before teeth bite deep into its juicy flesh.

The thief poked out from his spot, carefully keeping out of sight as a bony hand stretched out again.

* * *

 _What a selection._

Eyes darted quickly from each stall it saw, gleefully taking note of the goods being sold.

 _What shall I choose?_

 _Which should I choose?_

 _I have only one pocket. Darn, I knew I should have fixed the other one yesterday._

 _Should I take that hot loaf of bread? Food should always come first, I always say. And a full tummy keep heads from rolling._

 _Especially mine._

 _Ooh, but that ball of wool looks mighty fine. Old Lady Yukio wouldn't mind making me a thick cloak. Or several more for the others. Winter is coming and one can't be too prepared._

* * *

Mr. Yato arched his back, creaking the ache tormenting him and stretched. God, it had been a long day. He stick his long nose into the air and took a sniff, as though smelling the vegetable soup his wife had promised would be served for dinner. His oldest son would no doubt be helping his mother stocked the woodpile and his two youngest would be running outside the front door, scaring all the woodland animals away with their yells.

He couldn't wait to close the shop and return to them.

His wife and kids.

Mr. Yato sighed, pulling the strings of his money bag and taking a look inside. The few coins he earned the day glittered back in the afternoon sun, their glow mocking him for his inability to provide for his family. Sighing again, he retied the pouch tightly to his sash. There was another day tomorrow. Maybe his luck would be better.

Turning back to his stand, Yato counted the peaches he had left for tomorrow.

* * *

 _Those fat fowls might be better. And we could keep some and rear them. It would be a good way to earn some money, without having to worry when we would run out._

 _Question, should I get them now or later?_

 _Shouldn't be too hard. A snip at their strings and the breadcrumbs in my pocket should lure them easily enough and no one would notice._

Cluckcluckcluck! Cluckcluckcluckcluck!

 **CLUCK!**

… _..Guess it's later then._

* * *

Yato frowned.

That couldn't be right.

He counted again. But there really was only 16 peaches left.

And he was certain he had sold only 8. What happened to the other 4?

* * *

 _I have made up mind._

 _Gold._

 _Gold is always a better choice. Small, easy to hide and it isn't noisy. And I need some more anyway. It feels wrong to just have two coins in my pocket. Whoever said one should not have too much money is crazy._

 _That is just ridiculous !_

 _But….what if someone notices? Not that I am **that** clumsy but people always notice if some gold are missing. Even if it is just one measly coin. They are so petty. _

_Lucky things._

* * *

He caught a glimpse of skin peeking from the side of his stall.

His hand shot out to catch it.

* * *

A light snort was released.

 _Right, food it is then._

 _I can't afford to be seen in board daylight._

 _And I can always get gold later. Not like there would be a shortage of people soon. Or gold coins. If not, the highways are always perfect for a –_

A young boy dashed past her, knocking her arm aside and shocking her out of her thoughts. A few seconds later her poor shoulder was hit again by an older man, pushing her roughly aside and nearly sending her to the ground.

"STOP THAT THIEF!" he hollered.

Like everyone else momentarily taken aback by the commotion, Isamu was rooted to her spot and staring dumbly ahead. But unlike the rest of the viewers, it was for a completely different reason.

 _Right,_ she thought swinging her arm. Her neck creaked when she pulled it back.

 _First things first._

 _Save my baby brother._


	2. Chapter 2

"He hasn't been himself lately."

Nurarihyon could only sigh as he put his tea down. There was no need to ask who his wife was referring to. He turned to look below the cliff, at the Barrier. There, a familiar figure stood in front of it, as it had done for the past 30 years. He sighed.

Even when he was dead, his son _still_ manages to worry him and his mother.

"He has never been himself since the day Otome left him."

 _Not till Wakana came into his life_.

Youhime frowned but refrained from saying anything. She had yet to forgive Yamabuki from leaving her son in such a state, refusing to speak to her unless was forced to by her son. However, she knew it was not the time to voice her displeasure.

"Perhaps we could talk to Shogou-san," she suggested. "Negotiate some sort of compromise. He seem much more sympathetic than the others."

But Nurarihyon was already shaking his head. "No. There is nothing he can do." Not when it was Wakana who made that choice; that girl had a stubbornness which could rival his wife at the best of times.

A choice which he would never understand. Why ? Why would she do something like that, knowing how Rihan would take it ? And worst of all...

His eyes carefully trailed after his son. Rihan had taken to gliding his hand over the Barrier, stopping every once in a while to peer beyond it. He remembered the look on his son's face after Wakana had bid him goodbye; denial, anger and pain.

But not surprise.

His son knew of what was to come -possibly before they married- and he still went ahead with it.

Nurarihyon did not bother suppressing the groan, ignoring the questioning look on his wife's face.

 _What the hell was that idiotic son of mine thinking ?_

Something at the corner of his eye caught his attention. A group of young deities were gathered in a spot, talking in rapid but hushed voices, hands flying in multiple directions. One in particular was getting more and more agitated. Then another nodded and all conversation ceased. They turned slightly -just slightly- to his way.

Everything inside him stiffened.

There was a momentary pause as both sides- he was certain- stared each other down.

And in a blink of an eye it ended. The group abruptly walked off in another direction.

 _The hell?_

A foreboding feeling welled up in him. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Something was very wrong.

And they did not want him to know.

 _Damn them then._

"Ayakashi-sama? "

He forced his frozen facial muscle into a reassuring smile. "I will just be for awhile." He let his Fear encloaked him before disappearing from her view.

* * *

He slide his fingers over the Barrier for the umpteenth time.

He stopped.

He peered through it.

Then, he took another step.

And the cycle repeats.

He had being that for hours on end. Like everyday else, whenever he could.

She bit her lip. She had asked him once, the words slipping from her mouth before she could stop them.

It was his responsibility, he answered, in true Rihan's fashion. He had saved her before after all. She was under his care and hence it was his duty to be certain at least, of her well being.

She would have taken it at that, never questioned it again, if she had not known better.

And she did know better, at least better than the man in question.

She focused her gaze back at him. Rihan was looking through the Barrier, assessing a group of humans who had just came into view. Not finding what - who - he was looking for, he turned away.

It was brief but she caught it anyway.

Her throat lurched and Yamabuki had to bit back a cry.

It had been hard to realized that what they shared before, though still treasured, was nothing like it used to be.

It was harder still to watch him slowly succumbing to despair.

* * *

30 years.

That was how long he had not seen her.

30 years since she had showed up with his father in Hell. 30 years since he had last heard her cheerful greeting, after being dead for so long. 30 years since she had come barging into his life-well, afterlife- with all that sunniness that could even make Hell a happy place to be, surprising even Yamabuki when she had dragged the poor flower demoness away for some, to quote :"girl talk". 30 years since he felt her arms around him one last time, her voice in his ear as she whispered a final goodbye.

30 years since he let her slipped away through his fingers.

Bam !

His fist hit the Barrier with all his frustration, all his bitterness.

30 years he had been looking at the other side, finding any excuse to walk by, naively hoping for even a glimpse of her.

He has yet to see her since that day.

BAM !

30 years the prospect of never seeing her again became more of a reality with each passing day.

 **BAM !**

A trickle of blood flow down the wall of the Barrier, the pain mildly registering in his brain.

He had difficulty walking recently. His footsteps were a lot heavier than before, as though it took a lot of effort to just put one foot in front of another.

She would have said he was getting fat, he thought fondly, sadly.

A cry rang in his ear.

30 years his soul cried in anguished.

"You should probably get that checked out unless you want an infection. Strange, how we can get those even in Hell."

Rihan lifted his eyes. His gaze took in the view of a man with long brown hair in a loose ponytail and a serene smile plastered on his kind face. One of those deities, he thought, noting the white ceremonial robes the man wore and the hat sitting proudly on his head.

"Who are you ?"

The man smiled. "Name's Shougo. I was sent by Youhime-chan to talk to you. She is quite worried about how you keep spending your time down here and thought I could help."

He felt a little guilty at that. He hadn't meant to worry his mother that much. But...

"Sorry." he said coolly, turning his back on the man. "Not interested."

He had not taken more than a few steps when the next few words halt him. Whipping around he demanded, "What did you say ?"

Shougo's smile grew wider, showing off rows of his pearly white teeth.

"I said, what if I could help you see Wakana again ?"


	3. AN

**A/N : Hi guys.**

 **So this is not an update.**

 **I am going to take a break from writing.**

 **So sorry . I don't like how the tone of the story is and the characters voice is just not satisfactory.**

 **But good news ! I promise I will be back with a better story style XD So no worries !**

 **And to my reviewers.**

 **A thousand apologies to yuzukikuran & kalmaegi for disappointing you **

**And a million thanks for your support and reviews. You guys are great XD**

 **Thank you all ! ^^**


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